One piece upholstery tufting button

ABSTRACT

A one piece tufting button for use in securing upholstery. The tufting button main body has a button head formed at one end and an opposite pointed end for allowing insertion of the button main body through the upholstery. In one embodiment, a plurality of holes are formed in the main body at a portion of the main body nearest the button head. The pointed end is extended through the upholstery and then looped toward the button head so as to extend through one of the holes. A groove formed in the pointed end engages the periphery of the hole through which the pointed end extends thereby locking the pointed end in place and compressing the upholstery the desired amount. In another embodiment, a plurality of grooves are formed in a portion of the main body nearest the button head. A bifurcated wall adjacent the pointed end extends around one of the grooves thereby securing the pointed end in position.

[ June 18, 1974 4] ONE PIECE UPHOLSTERY TUFTING BUTTON [75] Inventor: Richard W. Van Riper, Jr.,

Crawfordsville, Ind.

[73] Assignee: ingress Manufacturing Company Incorporated, Crawfordsville, Ind.

22 Filed: July12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 378,567

[52] US. Cl. 24/90 W, 5/356 [51] Int. Cl A441) 1/18 [58] Field of Search 24/16 R, 16 PB, 30.5 R,

24/30.5 P, 73 PF, 150 PP, 152, 206 A, 208 A, 102 T, 103, 90 B, 90 W, 90 TS; 5/356 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 63,510 4/1867 Hall 24/16 PB 1,871,064 8/1932 Kipper et al 24/30.5P 3,054,585 9/1962 Roberts etal 24/16 PBX 3,438,095 4/1969 Evans 24/16 PB 3,608,157 9/1971 Molt ..L ..24/102T FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,468,567 12/1966 France 24/30.5 P 1,108,966 6/1961 Germany ..24/90W w 1 1 i l: K t t I: \1 g5 t they 1 1 W 11 H 4/1970 Germany 24/90 w 1/1967 Great Britain 24/16 PB Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton [57] ABSTRACT A one piece tufting button for use in securing upholstery. The tufting button main body has a button head formed at one end and an opposite pointed end for allowing insertion of the button main body through the upholstery. In one embodiment, a plurality of holes are formed in the main body at a portion of the main body nearest the button head. The pointed end is extended through the upholstery and then looped toward the button head so as to extend through one of the holes. A groove formed in the pointed end engages the periphery of the hole through which the pointed end extends thereby locking the pointed end in place and compressing the upholstery the desired amount. In another embodiment, a plurality of grooves are formed in a portion of the main body nearest the button head. A bifurcated wall adjacentthe pointed end extends aroundone of the grooves thereby securing the pointed end in position.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing lFigures rmnmwmm 3816381 FIGJ FIG.2

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of thelnvention This invention is in the field of fasteners.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of upholstery fasteners have been devised. Typically, these prior art fasteners require two separate components with one component extending through the upholstery and into the second component.

For example, see the U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,297 issued to Meyer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,802 issued to Mackey and U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,192 issued to Papazian. Another type of fastener which requires permanent deformation of the fastener is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,904 issued to Joyner et al. Another fastener of interest is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,693 issued to Pearson et a1.

Another method of forming tufts is to extend string through the upholstery with the string being attached to a cotton ball. Disclosed herein is a new type of tuft ing button which does not require additional components. The tufting button disclosed herein is of one piece construction. The tufting button disclosed herein is particularly advantageous in that the button is adjustable for the difference thicknesses of upholstery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of the present invention is a one piece upholstery tufting button comprising an elongated member with a headed end forming a button head and an opposite pointed end, the member including lock means formed thereon adjacent the pointed end and receiving means formed on the member between the button head and the lock means, the lock means and the receiving means being operable to lockingly engage together when the member is extended through upholstery forcing the button head to abut one side of the upholstery and the member being looped back on itself-on an opposite side of the upholstery to connect the lock means and the receiving means together compressing the upholstery.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tufting button.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tufting button which is of one piece construction and which does not require additional components for securing the button to the upholstery.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved upholstery tufting button which allows for easy adjustment of the button for different thicknesses of upholstery.

Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upholstery button incorporating the present invention shown being inserted into upholstery.

FIG. 2 is the same view as FIG. 1 only showing an alternate embodiment of the tufting button.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tufting button of FIG. 1 installed in the upholstery.

FIG. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the tufting button.

FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 3 only showing the tufting button of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a tufting button 11) which is being installed into upholstery 11. Upholstery tufting button 10 is of one piece construction and includes an elongated main body or member 12 which has a headed end forming a button head 13 and an opposite pointed end 14.

Member 12 includes locking means 15 formed adjacent pointed end 14. Locking means 15 is lockingly engageable with the receiving means 16 formed on the member between button head 13 and locking means 15. Locking means 15 and receiving means 16 are operable to lockingly engage together when member 12 is extended through the upholstery as shown in FIG. 3 forcing button head 13 to abut side 17 of upholstery 11 with member 12 being looped back on itself on side 18 of the upholstery so that locking means 15 may be con- .nected to the receiving means 16 thereby compressing the upholstery as shown in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, member 12 includes a web 19 which extends from button head 13 to the diametered portion 20. The locking means in cludes a plurality of holes 20' which are formed in web 19 with the holes extending partially along the length of the member. Locking means 15 includes a groove 21 which is formed between pointed end 14 and the reduced diametered portion 20. Holes 20 are sized so that web 19 will project into groove 21 when the pointed end 14 is forced through the hole thereby locking the pointed end to the web. Holes 20' are elongated and extend along the length of the member. The height of each hole is shorter than the length of each hole. In addition, the height of each hole is less than the diame ter of groove 21 thereby causing the web to elastically deform when the groove is positioned in the hole as shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the height of hole 20 was two-thirds the diameter of groove 21. As a re sult, the top portion 22 and the bottom portion 23 of the web are forced outwardly when the pointed end is inserted through the hole. Top portion 22 and bottom portion 23 of the web have a thickness slightly greater than the main portion of the web providing an I-cross sectional configuration for the locking means. A pair of opposite flat finger gripping side surfaces 24 and 25 are formed on member 12 between the reduced diametered portion 20 and groove 21 thereby allowing a person to grip the pointed end to pull the tufting button through the upholstery after the sharp tip of end 14 has pierced and passed through the upholstery.

Pointed end 14 may be inserted through any one of the holes 20 depending upon the thickness of the upholstery and the amount of upholstery compression desired. The tufting button is produced from a flexible plastic allowing the member to bow for the locking means to engage the receiving means 16.

An alternate embodiment of the tufting button is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Tufting button 40 is identical to tufting button 10 with the exception that the locking means and receiving means are provided with a different configuration. Button head 41 is integrally attached to the main body 42 of the tufting button along with the pointed end 44. Receiving means 43 includes a plurality of grooves 48 which are spaced between a plurality of ridges 49. The locking means includes a bifurcated wall 45 which is formed by a converging channel 46 which opens into aperture 47 through an entrance 50. The width of entrance 50 is less than the diameter of groove 48 thereby necessitating the groove to be forced through entrance and into aperture 47 to lock the pointed end to receiving means 43 as shown in FIG. 5.

Each ridge 49 includes a vertical stop surface 51 which is on the side of the ridge nearest button head 41 forming a stop surface to limit movement of bifurcated wall 45. Surface 52 of each ridge which is farthest from button head 41 is tapered.

Tufting button 60 is identical to button 10 with the exception that shank 62 (FIG. 2) has a cylindrical configuration. Pointed end 64 is looped back towards head 61 to extend through one of the holes 63.

It will be obvious from the above description that the present invention provides a new and improved tufting button. It will be further obvious from the above description that the tufting button disclosed herein is of one piece construction. In addition, it will be obvious from the above description that the subject tufting button accommodates different thicknesses of upholstery.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

I. A one piece upholstery tufting button comprising:

an elongated member with a headed end forming a button head and an opposite pointed end, said member including lock means formed thereon adjacent said pointed end and receiving means formed on said member between said button head and said lock means, said lock means and said receiving means being operable to lockingly engage together when said member is extended through upholstery forcing said button head to abut one side of said upholstery and said member being looped back on itself on an opposite side of said upholstery to connect said lock means and said receiving means together compressing said upholstery. 2. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 1 wherein:

said lock means and said receiving means include at least one hold and a reduced portion formed on said member with said hole sized to lockingly receive said portion to lockingly engage said lock means and said receiving means together. 3. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 2 wherein:

said receiving means extends lengthwise along said elongated member and is operable to receive said locking means at different locations along the length of said elongated member. 4. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 3 wherein:

said elongated member is produced from flexible plastic and is reduced in cross sectional area between said lock means and said receiving means allowing said member between said lock means and said receiving means to be bowed. 5. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 4 wherein:

said member includes a web with said receiving means formed thereon, said receiving means includes a plurality of holes formed on said web; and,

said lock means includes a groove formed on said opposite pointed end, said pointed end is extendable through any one of said holes with said web projecting into said groove and locking said web and said pointed end together. 6. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 5 wherein:

each hole has a height less than the diameter of said groove with said web elastically deforming when said rod extends therethrough. 7. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 6 wherein:

said elongated member has an l-shaped cross section through said receiving means, said elongated member has a pair of opposite flat finger gripping side surfaces immediately adjacent said groove. 8. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 4 wherein:

said receiving means includes a plurality of grooves formed in said elongated member; and, said lock means includes a bifurcated wall formed by a converging channel, said bifurcated wall has an aperture extending therethrough which opens into said channel through an entrance which has a width, said grooves each have a diameter greater than said width of said entrance securing one of said grooves in said aperture. 

1. A one piece upholstery tufting button comprising: an elongated member with a headed end forming a button head and an opposite pointed end, said member including lock means formed thereon adjacent said pointed end and receiving means formed on said member between said button head and said lock means, said lock means and said receiving means being operable to lockingly engage together when said member is extended through upholstery forcing said button head to abut one side of said upholstery and said member being looped back on itself on an opposite side of said upholstery to connect said lock means and said receiving means together compressing said upholstery.
 2. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 1 wherein: said lock means and said receiving means include at least one hold and a reduced portion formed on said member with said hole sized to lockingly receive said portion to lockingly engage said lock means and said receiving means together.
 3. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 2 wherein: said receiving means extends lengthwise along said elongated member and is operable to receive said locking means at different locations along the length of said elongated member.
 4. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 3 wherein: said elongated member is produced from flexible plastic and is reduced in cross sectional area between said lock means and said receiving means allowing said member between said lock means and said receiving means to be bowed.
 5. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 4 wherein: said member includes a web with said receiving means formed thereon, said receiving means includes a plurality of holes formed on said web; and, said lock means includes a groove formed on said opposite pointed end, said pointed end is extendable through any one of said holes with said web projecting into said groove and locking said web and said pointed end together.
 6. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 5 wherein: each hole has a height less than the diameter of said groove with said web elastically deforming when said rod extends therethrough.
 7. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 6 wherein: said elongated member has an I-shaped cross section through said receiving means, said elongated member has a pair of opposite flat finger gripping side surfaces immediately adjacent said groove.
 8. The one piece upholstery tufting button of claim 4 wherein: said receiving means includes a plurality of grooves formed in said elongated member; and, said lock means includes a bifurcated wall formed by a converging channel, said bifurcated wall has an aperture extending therethrough which opens into said channel through an entrance which has a width, said grooves each have a diameter greater than said width of said entrance securing one of said grooves in said aperture. 